St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox
Church

The
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is in
Tarpon Springs, Florida.
The church is adorned with tons of high
quality Grecian marble. The interiors are
lit by

beautiful ornate
chandeliers, and the bishop's throne is
carved out of solid marble.

Tarpon Springs is popular for the Greek
Orthodox Church's elaborate ceremonies.

The most popular is the
Epiphany, which is celebrated every 6th of
January with the blessings of the boats and
waters. In the past, the livelihood of the
early Greek immigrants revolved around the
ocean. This is why many of their religious
rites involve asking for divine protection
from the elements at sea.

Greek Americans from all over the country
come to Tarpon Springs annually to witness
the Epiphany.

It is common for the city
population to grow threefold during the day
of the event.

The
Metropolitan Atlanta and, on some occasions,
the Archbishop of America preside over the
blessings. The ceremonies are drawn to a
conclusion with the throwing of a cross into
the Spring Bayou. Teenage boys then dive in
to retrieve the wooden cross. Whoever
succeeds in recovering it is believed to be
blessed for the entire year. After the
blessings, the celebration proceeds to the
Sponge Docks where food is served and music
is played.